Mechanical Engineering Courses

Mechanical engineering degrees typically take four to five years to complete, and result in a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng), Bachelor of Science (BSc or BS), or Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (BME). In the US, most undergraduate mechanical engineering programs are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Mechanical engineering programs include courses on composites, thermodynamics, engine design, hydraulics, control theory, robotics, and computer-aided design (CAD). In addition to the core mechanical engineering curriculum, many mechanical engineering programs offer more specialized programs and classes, such as control systems, cryogenics, fuel technology, biomechanics, vibration, and optics. The median annual income of mechanical engineers in the US workforce was $80,580, highest when working for the government ($92,030), and lowest in education ($57,090).

Robots are well-suited to perform tasks that are dangerous and often repetitive, as well as to function in extreme
environments such as space, under the oceans, or at high altitudes. NASA tests robots for exploration in areas called analogs.
Analogs are places where the environment is similar to locations like Mars or the moon, where a robot may be used. Another
field in which robots are finding a niche is in medical applications. Although still in its infancy, robotic surgery has
already proven itself to be of great value, particularly in areas inaccessible to conventional laparoscopic procedures.
Robotic technology is set to revolutionize surgery by improving and expanding laparoscopic procedures, minimizing
invasiveness, and allowing remote operation.

Robots all have some kind of mechanical construction, a frame, form or shape designed to achieve a particular task. For
example, a robot designed to travel across heavy dirt or mud, might use caterpillar tracks. There must also be electrical
components which power and control the machinery. For example, the robot with caterpillar tracks would need some kind of power
to move the tracker treads. The electrical aspect of robots is used for movement via motors, with built-in sensors delivering
electrical signals in order to measure things like sound, position, and even basic vision. The control of a robot involves
three distinct tasks, perception, processing, and motion (actuation). Sensors give information about the environment or the
robot itself. This information is then processed or transmitted, and used to calculate the appropriate signals to the
actuators (motors, ie muscles) which move the mechanical robot. Therefore, robots must be programmed much like any other
computing device.

Sensors can be classified according to the physical process with which they work or according to the type of measurement
information that they give as output. Vision refers to processing data from any modality which uses the electromagnetic
spectrum to produce an image. In humanoid robots it is used to recognize objects and determine their properties. Sound sensors
allow humanoid robots to hear speech and environmental sounds, and perform as the ears of the human being. Microphones are
usually used for this task.

Humanoid robots are constructed in such a way that they mimic the human body, so they use actuators that perform like muscles
and joints, though with a different structure. To achieve the same effect as human motion, humanoid robots use mainly rotary
actuators. They can be either electric, pneumatic, hydraulic, piezoelectric or ultrasonic. While electric coreless motor
actuators are better suited for high speed and low load applications, hydraulic ones operate well at low speed and high load
applications. Piezoelectric actuators generate a small movement with a high force capability when voltage is applied. They can
be used for ultra-precise positioning and for generating and handling high forces or pressures in static or dynamic
situations.

Robotics Manufacturing

Manufacturing facilities around the world are increasing adoption of industrial robots to increase productivity and maintain
competitiveness. In both the US and China particularly, application of industrial robots is on the rise. Industrial robots are
used in factories and warehouses for material handling and heavy manufacturing operations such as welding, cutting, and
assembly. As robots increasingly must co-exist with human workers areas, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
studies warn that most robot accidents occur during non-routine operating conditions, such as programming, maintenance, testing, setup, or adjustment. During many of these operations the worker may temporarily be within the robot's working
envelope, where unintended operations could result in injuries.

Robotics engineers design robots, maintain them, develop new applications for them, and conduct research to expand the
potential of robotics. Robots have become a popular educational tool in some middle and high schools, as well as in numerous
youth summer camps, raising interest in programming, artificial intelligence and robotics among students. First-year computer
science courses at some universities now include programming of a robot in addition to traditional software engineering-based
coursework.

This website is not affiliated with any educational institution, and all trademarks are exclusive property of the respective owners. College Inspector is the work of a group of Thai students in Bangkok, using info from the US Department of Education, Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). If any stats are incorrect, please contact us with the right data.